RONNIE O’SULLIVAN has told snooker fans to FORGET about an eighth World Championship after an “awful, embarrassing” defeat at the English Open.
The Rocket was well beaten by He Guoqiang in Essex – falling three frames behind before eventually losing 4-2.
O’Sullivan struggled all night and looked uncomfortable in his chair, missing routine shots and making huge mistakes to allow He prime opportunities to make big breaks.
Asked why he’s playing left handed and what needs to be done to get back on form for the World Snooker Championships, O’Sullivan told SunSport: “I’m absolutely useless, that’s why.
“Forget about the Worlds. I’m not even bothered to be honest with you, if I’m going to play rubbish I might as well play left handed.
“Play left-handed and enjoy it, but be useless, or play right-handed, be useless and not enjoy it.
“I haven’t got long, I’m not going to deny it, I’m not playing well enough, there’s no point in even worrying about it – I’ve just accepted it now which is quite a nice place to be really.”
Pressed on his recent poor form, O’Sullivan continued: “I’m awful, it’s embarrassing. I miss so many balls.
“I’ve been missing balls for the last four or five years and every now and then I’ll miss a few less, maybe, and get a couple of results.
“Even in tournaments I’ve won people have missed mad opportunities to beat me.
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” I can’t get away from it, poor, but there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Neither Guoqiang nor O’Sullivan managed a century break in the match, but it was the world No 64 who built a couple of strong breaks early to take advantage of poor potting.
After going 3-0 up, O’Sullivan then turned on the style with nice breaks of his own to steal two frames, but big mistakes in the sixth proved his downfall.
Stephen Hendry, who shares the record for World Championship wins with O’Sullivan on seven, last week said that the Rocket’s “unbelievable performances are fewer and far between now,” and that, “I don’t think he’s got the same competitive juices that he had.”
Responding to those comments, O’Sullivan said: “I don’t even care, I’m just here to fulfil my commitments to my sponsors, get away from home, travel.
“If I can get a couple of years out of it that will be great, if I can’t, I can’t.
” I just want to rinse as much out of it as I can, I’m not going to drive myself mad. If you’re poor, you’re poor.”
FROM his lightning breaks to blasts at officials, Ronnie O'Sullivan has fired snooker into the spotlight.
The seven-time world champion makes almost as big an impact away from the table as on it.
O’Sullivan has three children – two daughters and a son.
And the Rocket’s on-off relationship with British actress Laila Rouass has also hit the headlines.
He has opened up on battles with his weight and addiction.
While the controversial cueist reckons he wasted NINE YEARS of his career by partying too hard.
Despite being worth £14million, O’Sullivan is renowned for his love of canal boats and snubbing flashy cars.
His rivalry with fellow star Judd Trump has been branded ‘snooker’s greatest feud’.
And Ali Carter had his nose knocked out of joint by the Rocket in their infamous ‘Snotgate’ row.
Check out all our latest Ronnie O’Sullivan articles.
